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Fact, Fiction and Conspiracy Theories
Oswald was not a lone gunman. Earth is being visited by aliens. Human-caused climate change will soon flood the planet. Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster are real. The moon landings were hoaxes. The WTC towers did not fall from airplane impacts. Vaccinations cause autism. Etc., etc.
The rest of this article will definitively answer each of these questions. (Just kidding.) Actually, no answer regardless of how rational or definitive satisfies a “true believer.”
The world is full of speculation, intrigue and mystery. In spite of our self-proclaimed brilliance we are surrounded by phenomena not easily explained. And that “gray area” provides rich soil for conspiracy theories, outlandish claims and unleashed imaginations resulting in award-winning documentaries, New York Times bestsellers and much water-cooler conversation. Some of this is harmless entertainment. But some of it captivates Christians and creates distraction, anxiety and a waste of time.
By contrast, think of the stress placed on the word “know” in Scripture. Here are a few things the NT says we can know for sure because the information comes from God:
* The identity of false teachers via their fruit – Mt 7:16.
* The mysteries of the kingdom – Mt 13:11 (also Eph 3:3-7; Col 1:26; et. al.).
* Jesus’ words of forgiveness were true – Mk 2:10.
* The accounts of Jesus’ life – Lk 1:4.
* The truth which makes man free – Jn 8:32.
* Jesus is the true Shepherd – Jn 10:4, 14.
* The unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom – 1 Cor 6:9; Eph 5:5.
* Idols represent false or non-existent gods – 1 Cor 8:4.
* If our body is destroyed we have an eternal, heavenly one – 2 Cor 5:1.
* The return of Jesus will be like a “thief in the night” – 1 Th 5:2.
* God will safeguard what we have committed to Him – 2 Tim 1:12.
* The Christian age will be a perilous time – 2 Tim 3:1ff.
* Friendship with the world is enmity with God – Jas 4:4.
* Our love for others is evidence of spiritual life – 1 Jn 3:14.
This is just a short, generic listing derived from a concordance search of the word “know.” We could expand this by searching other related words, but the point is that Scripture reveals information that is not imaginative but certain, not untruthful but accurate. Some of the above points are in the “do you not know” framework, insinuating that the readers or hearers ought to know the matters of which they were ignorant.
In an interesting passage Jesus warns that pre-AD 70 Jews will be deceived by false, grandiose claims (“I am the Christ” – Mt 24:5) and unfounded rumors fueled by upheavals and natural calamities (wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, etc. – Mt 24:6-7). False prophets will use such to hoodwink the unsuspecting (Mt 24:11). He summarizes the death throes of Israel: “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There,’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (24:23-24). Then Jesus adds: “See, I have told you beforehand” (24:25). He also gave concrete markers that Jerusalemites should look for so they could flee ahead of the Roman armies (24:15ff).
The world has always been afflicted by false information and the profiteers that promote it. They play on people’s fears, ignorance, suspicions, boredom and naivete to stir imaginations, consume with the imaginary and distract with the frivolous.
Granted, there are also things Scripture says we cannot know (viz., the time of Jesus’ return) or contemporary issues that God doesn’t comment on (whether there was a second gunman on the grassy knoll). But what is revealed is information pertinent to our relationship with Him, spiritual and emotional self-perception, the foundations of healthy relationships, elements of faithful service – i.e., things that really matter in this life.
We must develop the maturity and self-control to avoid getting sidetracked with modern issues that, given time, are usually exposed as erroneous or inconsequential. Today’s hysterical headlines portending death and destruction often fade into oblivion, replaced by the next new crisis threatening humanity. These endless, mundane cycles so accurately pictured by Solomon in Ecclesiastes and alluded to by Jesus in Mt 24 can distract us from what is truly meaningful.
Some questions we might want to ask ourselves:
1) Did Snopes already debunk it? Is it just recycled fiction?
2) Does Scripture shed light on it? Or is it man’s empty speculation?
3) Does it really matter anyway? Or is my anxiety unfounded?
4) If it is a matter of some gravity have I gathered reputable information and prayed for God’s guidance? Have I made the best decision I can?
5) Do I trust God to just leave it in His hands and accept His will?
